Gains in private sector compensation costs were led by large increases in durable manufacturing; finance, insurance, and real estate; and wholesale trade.

Wages and salaries in the private sector increased by 1.0 percent, after posting moderate gains in the prior two quarters. Wage gains in the finance, insurance, and real estate and wholesale trade industries led the increase.

Benefit costs for private sector workers shot up 2.4 percent for the March quarter, significantly higher than all quarterly gains since March 2000.

Self-employment in the United States
Trends in self-employment by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including both the unincorporated and the incorporated self-employed, as well as data on paid employees who work for the self-employed.